Last week, a revelation was made by the US Attorney’s Office in Pittsburgh: they disclosed the indictments of seven males allegedly connected with a lucrative lottery scam, primarily aimed at United States residents. This nefarious operation had its roots in Jamaica, and cracking it necessitated international cooperation among the law authorities.
The Pittsburgh office shared that the apprehended individuals comprised both Jamaican and American nationals. Here is the comprehensive list of those indicted:
- Jason Plummer, 31 – A resident of Montego Bay, Jamaica
- Troy Williams, 38 – Also from Montego Bay, Jamaica
- Tajay Singh, 26 – Yet another individual from Montego Bay, Jamaica
- Tashane Murray, 30 – Hailing from Florida
- Clevon McKenzie, 31 – A resident of New York
- Gyzzell Byfield, 27 – Based in Connecticut
- Daneil Reid, 27 – Another Floridian
These seven individuals have been slapped with charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, as well as money laundering. They orchestrated an illegitimate lottery setup in which they made their victims believe that they had won massive monetary amounts, only to be asked for substantial taxes and fees later.
False documents were created by the conspirators to give their illegal operation a semblance of legitimacy. All in all, the lottery scam has generated an estimated $2.8 million. The money was subsequently laundered through an intricate network of accounts and intermediaries, before finally being withdrawn in Jamaica.
The involved parties in this outlawed lottery operation face a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years, twice the financial loss suffered by the victims, or both. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Jeffrey Bengel.
America’s Obligation to Safeguard Vulnerable Segments from Fraud
According to the US Attorney’s Office in Pittsburgh, a few of those indicted were “deceived” into participating in the conspiracy. Byfield and Reid, on the other hand, were willingly involved in this operation.
US Attorney Eric Olshan admonished the defendants for their alleged involvement in exploiting the elderly. He emphasized that it is America’s duty to shield its susceptible demographics from such fraudulent practices.
Echoing Olshan’s sentiments was FBI Pittsburgh’s Special Agent in Charge Mike Nordwall. He underscored the necessity to protect vulnerable individuals from such predatory scams. Nordwall lamented the unfortunate rise in such crime cases every year.
In addition, the US Postal Inspector in Charge in Pittsburgh, Lesley Allison, vowed that the US Postal Inspection Service will continue to investigate deceptive lottery setups and safeguard potential victims from harm. According to her assurance, inspectors won’t hold anything back in identifying and indicting those abusing the US Mail system for their criminal activities.
Lastly, Special Agent in Charge of HIS Philadelphia, William Walker stated that the public too has a role to play in this fight. He stressed the importance of staying in touch with elderly citizens and relatives, keeping them well-informed to mitigate their risk of falling victim to such scams.
